Bad Knee To Keep Armstrong Out Of Bills Game

August 23, 1991|By Fred Mitchell.

Add starting defensive left end Trace Armstrong to the list of Bears who won`t play in Saturday night`s preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. He sprained a knee in last Saturday`s 13-10 loss to the Raiders.

``This is not really my decision,`` said Armstrong. ``But you have to remember this is just the preseason. If it was a playoff game, I could play. You just get to a point where you say: How smart is it?``

Morris update: Wide receiver Ron Morris, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday, said the most optimistic date for his return is three weeks.

``There`s no pain in the joints, my knee is stable and there is no ligament damage,`` he said. ``So I think it will be a lot quicker than most

(knee surgeries).``

Morris couldn`t recall any particular play last Saturday that caused his injury. ``I just couldn`t run as fast as I know I can,`` he said.

Morris and the Bears` medical staff initially thought the problem was in his hamstring.

``There was a lot of swelling in my calf,`` he said, ``and I know from running track that if it is a hamstring pull, you usually don`t get the swelling in the calves. So we finally took the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and got it cleared up.`

Morris said he had three incisions during the surgery.

``Everything went great,`` he said. ``It is just going take a little time to get back in shape.``

Morris agreed with trainer Fred Caito that the injury probably dates back to a game in Denver last November.

``I took a big lick and kind of strained it,`` said Morris. ``When we came back from Denver, they checked my knee out, and it was my hamstring that was giving me a lot of problems. For the rest of the season, I was pretty much having the same problem.``

Wright on: Rookie free-agent wide receivers Eric Wright and Nigel Codrington have been impressive in training camp. But that position is well-stocked, even with the injury to Morris.

``Both are pretty good football players,`` said coach Mike Ditka. ``We have a tough decision to make in that area. I`ve got to cut some receivers.``